Letter Jackets and Girlfriends
by ninjasandbacon
Summary: “Yeah, he gave his to Vanessa. You know..how you give girlfriends a letterman jacket?” Dan said, catching the soccer ball and sitting down next to Serena.


"So, how have you been? I feel like we haven't talked in ages." Dan asked absently, finally getting the 'knee bounce' thing down. He passed the soccer ball to Serena, looking up at her expectantly.

"That's because we haven't talked in days. You've been playing soccer a lot. Which reminds me, a letterman jacket?" She pointed at the blue and white letterman jacket that he now wore instead of his regular army jacket.

"Yeah." Dan smiled sheepishly, bowing his head. "Coach gave it to me the other day. Thought I'd wear it, see if I like it."

"Well it looks good on you." She smiled, passing the ball back to him. "How come Nate never wears his? I mean, he's playing soccer with you."

"Yeah, he gave his to Vanessa. You know..how you give girlfriends a letterman jacket?" Dan said, catching the soccer ball and sitting down next to Serena.

She laughed, taking the ball from him and rolling it around in her hands. "That's such a cliché."

"I thought you loved clichés." Dan picked up his water bottle and took a long swig.

"I do. But only when they happen to me, they just...seem more realistic to me that way."

Dan nodded understandingly. A cell phone ringing interrupted the comfortable silence. Putting down his water, Dan flipped open his phone, bringing it to his ear. "Hello?" He held up a finger to Serena who nodded as he stood up and walked a distance from her.

"Hey Nate."

"Do you have it with you?"

"Yeah. I'll give it to you at the loft, alright? Just don't make things obvious."

"Alright, see you man."

Dan hung up the phone and made his way back over to Serena.

"Hey, you look stressed. Phone call freak you out?"

"What? No. It was my dad. He wanted to know if you wanted to come over and have dinner with us tonight. You know he loves having you around."

"Sure you have enough room?" Serena teased. "I mean with Nate living there it must be pretty crowded for a person like me."

Dan rolled his eyes. "I'll take that as a yes. Come on." He took the soccer ball from her and stuffed it in his bag before holding out his hand for her.

--

Serena dropped her bag on the ground, heading directly for her bed. With a groan, she flopped onto the bed. She was so sore after playing soccer with Dan and trying to learn the infamous 'knee bounce thing'.

Hearing a knock, she looked up to see a sheepish looking Eric at the door. "Hey Eric."

"Hey, um there was a package for you. Did you get it?" His green eyes shot around the room, looking for the package.

"Um...I think I'm laying on it." Serena muttered, laughing. She pulled it out from under her and weighed it in her hands. "Its not anything bad is it?"

"No, of course not. Just wanted to make sure you got it. I'm going out with Jonathan tonight, I'll see you later." He smiled at her before turning around and heading back out the door.

Serena waved, turning her attention to the gift which was wrapped nicely in a Ralph Lauren box. Opening the box, she pulled out a certain soccer player's blue and white letterman jacket.

Flipping it around to see if it was who's she thought it was, she traced the white stitching on the back. _Humphrey_. His words immediately came back to her, swarming her mind. _You know..how you give girlfriends a letterman jacket?"_

Shaking her head and smiling, she put on the jacket. She loved how it smelled just like him, felt just like him. With a contented sigh, she lay back, hands in the jacket pockets.

Feeling something in the left hand pocket, she pulled it out. It was a simple white envelope with her name written on the top in Dan's familiar handwriting. With trembling hands, she pried open the flap and took out the small handwritten note inside.

_I want you to know, I want you. Only you. Will you be my girlfriend, Serena?_

The note fell out of her hands, fluttering onto the bed. Her breath hitched, hands flying to her heart. There was no way that this could be happening.

Picking up the note, she read his slanted left handed writing over and over again, memorizing the words.

Sliding the note back into the envelope, she put it her bedside drawer. Slipping into the warm jacket that held his smell, she fell back against the pillows and fell into a deep sleep with dreams of what tomorrow could bring.

--

"Dan! Over here!" Nate yelled, getting past the guard and running towards the goal. Dan swiftly passed it towards him, clapping as Nate shot it into the goal, ending the practice game.

"Nice shot man." Dan said, clapping Nate on the back.

"All thanks to you." Nate panted, picking up his water bottle and took a long swig. "Hey...dude Serena's coming over here, you might want to take a look at her outfit."

Dan turned around, wiping the beads of sweat that had collected on his brow. A smile slowly grew on his face as he jogged towards Serena.

"You're wearing my jacket." He said simply, when he stopped neatly in front of her.

"Reserved just for girlfriends, right?" She asked, smiling at him.

"Is that a yes?" Dan asked tentatively. He watched as a chilling breeze flew over them, making her hug the jacket tighter around herself.

"Well I'm property of Daniel Humphrey now aren't I?" She turned around slowly, watching his smile grow bigger at the 'Humphrey' on the back.

"I love you, Serena van der Woodsen." Dan said, as he turned her around and pulled her closer.

"I love you too." She whispered, wrapping her arms around him as he kissed her.

"Still think its a cliché?" He added, earning a small giggle and another kiss from her.


End file.
